Score-marker.



Patented Mar. I9, IQDI. AW. C. CLARK A. W. UTTING.

SCURE MARKER.

(Application lfiled Jan. 7, 1901.) l

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PATENT WILLIAM C. CLARK AND A WALTER UTTING, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

SCORE-MARKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,369, dated March 19, 1901.

Application filed January 7, 1901. seal No. 42.281. ma modem To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM C. CLARK and A WALTER UTTING, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga,in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Score-Markers and Matching Devices for Competitive Games, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to a device for facilitating the play of competitive games, and particularly progressive games, as whist, euchre, and similar amusements, in which the several participants are paired as partners and the competing pairs are brought together at different stations or tables in the introductory and successive stages of the game.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a simple and practical device whereby the several participants in the game at each of the tables are informally and unconsciously socialized with each other at the introduction of the play and are readily paired and seated at their respective tables without loss of time or the assistance of an attendant.

The further object of this invention is to` time during the progress or at the close of the successive plays without liability of error or fraudulent registration.

Our invention still further consists Yin providing means for permitting the device to be readily attached to or detached from a button, buttonhole, or any other portion of the wearing-apparel and may be retained at the conclusion of the play as a souvenir or record of the number of plays or games which the holder has attended.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of one of the cards of our invention forming the individual slips or sections for each of the players for a single table, the sections being shown in their assembled relations prior to being cut or separated. Figs. 2, 3, and 4t are similar plan views for diiferent cards of our invention, showing the sections of each card as separated from each other, the set in Fig. 2 being for table 1, series A, as seen in Fig. 1,*and the sets in Figs. 3 and 4 being, respectively, for. table 2, series A A, and table l, series B. Fig. 5 is an isometric view of one of the score-sections and the fasteningloop attached thereto. Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a strip or sheet of cardboard having a series of detachable indicator slips or tickets for the several tables of one series.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Our invention is designed to simplify the matching or pairing of competing players at their respective tables in any four-handed game, to acquaint the participants one with the other at the introduction of the play and Without the usual formality, to facilitate the count of the points or the games at any period or at the conclusion of the play, and to otherwise render the occasion as enjoyable to all as may be possible without confusion or undue labor on the part of the entertainer.

The invention consists of a sheet or plate A of suitable material, such as cardboard, which is provided with a substantially central printed or figured surface a, a plurality of scoring-surfaces b, and one or more pairs of distinguishing characters c c' for the purpose of pairing or matching the partners of the play or game with each other.

The card A is cut or divided in such manner as to break the continuity or integrity of the printed or figured surface and to form a series of card-sections, each having a scoresurface b and counterpart of the integral tion are counterparts of each other and of Each of the cards,

the whole print or ligure. corresponds to a single table, and the several sections of said cards are each designated by a suitable character d, as a numeral, corresponding with each other and indicating the table at which the holders of the corresponding sections are to play, said table being previously provided with a mark or character,

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in this instance a numeral, corresponding to the numeral of the several sections of the card A.

As seen in the drawings, the card A is formed substantially square, and is cut or divided diagonally in intersecting lines from corner to corner through the print or ligure d, thereby subdividing the card into four triangular sections, each having a portion or counterpart of the original print or ligure. This print or ligure may be of any desired design or composition-such as humorous verses, ludicrous pictures, or continued stories-the essential purpose being to more socialize the players at the introduction of the game by creating a mutui-al interest `in the common amusement of assembling the fragmentary portions of the print or ligure and witnessing the result.

As previously stated, each of the sections of the card A is provided with a score-surface h, which is usually printed in the margin of the section opposite to its apex, and preferably consists of a series of lined or ruled spaces, each provided with a numeral, said numerals being generallv arranged consecutively from l to lO, inclusive, from left to right in their respectivespaces. Any suitable device may be employed for registering in these spaces the points or games which are Won, and we preferably use a punch for this purpose and make an indenture or hole in the space corresponding with the number of points or games to the credit of the holder of the card-section.

The designating characters c, previously mentioned, are usually printed in pairs of like characters upon the card A, these char acters being so arranged that when the card is cut or divided into sections each section is provided with one of the characters, the players holding the sections having similar colors or characters and bearing the same numeral or character d being paired as partners at the table having a numeral or character corresponding` to the characters CZ of their respective card-sections.

The cards A are generally printed and issued in series of live, numbered from l to 5, inclusive, and correslrionding With the same number of tables, this number being found to be most convenient in ordinary plays or games. It is evident, however, that any number of tables may be in use at one time and that the series of cards may be issued to correspond therewith.

In order to provide for a succession of games or plays to be held at differentintervals or at different places and also to arrange for the continuance or extension of a play in progress, we preferablyissue a plurality of series oi' the cards A, each series numbering live (more or less) cards and designated by difterent characters, such as A, B, dac. The

prints or gu res of the cards of one series differ from each other and the compositions of the printed surfaces of the several series also differ, so that new interest and enthusiasm are continually brought out during the progress of the play.A Each of the sections of each ol the cards is provided with the same numeral, indicating` the table at which the holder is to play, and the characters of like colorsuch as diamonds and hearts and spades and clubsdesignate the partners Who are to play together.

ln Figs. l to 3 are shown cards l and 2 of series A, and in Fig. 4 We have shown a single card numbered l of series B, it being understood that these cards oi' either series may be extended indefinitely and that the only diiierence between said cards is the num-- bei-ing of the respective tables, the lettering for different series, and the change in the printed or figured surface.

In order lo further facilitate the progress of the game or play, each set of cards or sections is accompanied by a suitable card or stri) M, Fig. G, perforated or divided into a series of tickets m, corresponding in number to the number of cards in the series, and each ticket is provided with a dil'l'erent numeral and a character indicating the series to which the card belongs, said tickets bein g deposited upon their respective tables before the play begins. The sections ot the cards oi' one series, numbering' in this instance twenty scc tions, are now distributed among the guests, who are also provided with an ornamented loop or cord f, Fig. 5, said cord being inserted in a suitable 1aperturein each of the sections and secured thereto, and the card-section may then be readily secured to a button or other portion of the garment. rlhe several players then take their places at the tables corresponding to the number on their respective cardesections, the players holding` sections with hearts and diamonds and having the same table-number being partners, and the parties holding spades and clubs of the same table-number are Ialso matched at the same table as competitors with the players holding the hearts and diamonds. The 'four sections at each table are then assembled by the players at that table, thereby adding much amusement to the play and avoiding the confusion and misunderstandings at the introduction o1' the play.

When any of the players have won a point or game or any numbers of points or games from one to ten, inclusive, the total of said Winning is registered by a suitable punch within the score-space of his or her section corresponding to the total points or games Won, the manner of count being previously decided upon. For instance, if the holderof the diamond-section table l, series A, makes four points at one time, three points at another play, and tive points at another time one punch will be made in the Lt space, another in the 3 space, and another in the 5 space, and when the play is ended these numbers are simply added to obtain the competitive standing for the holder ol' this card.

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stoen The operation of o'nr invention will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that the form and size of the herein-described device may be considerably changed without departing from the spirit of this invention and that other changes may be made Within its scope.

Having thus described our invention, What We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A marker and matching device coniprising a card having a series of score-surfaces and a plurality of like characters indicating a single table, said card being cnt or divided into sections in such manner that each section will have a score-surface and a table-indicating character.

2. A marker and matching device comprising a card having a series of score-surfaces and a plurality of pairs of matching characters, said card being cnt or divided into sections in such manner that each section will have a score-surface and one of the-matching characters.

3. A score and matching device comprising a card having an intermediate printed surface or figure and marginal score-surfaces, said card being cnt or divided into an even number of sections, each section having a counterpart of the printed portion ofthe other sections and provided .with one of the score-f surfaces.

4. A score and matching device comprising a card having an intermediate printed surface or figure' and marginal score-surfaces, said card being also provided With a plurality of pairs of matching characters, the card being cnt or divided in such manner as to leave each of the sections with one of each of the characters and a counterpart of the printed portions of the other sections.

5. A score and matching device comprising a card having a central print or ligure and marginal score-surfaces, pairs of matching characters printed on the cards, table-desig# nating characters also printed on said cards, and additional characters on the cards indieating the series to which said card belongs, said card being cut or divided on intersecting lines in such manner as to retain one of each of the several characters on each section and to provide each section with a printed portion forming a counterpart of the printed portions of the other sections.

In Witness whereof We have hereunto set onr hands this 4th daT of January, 1901.

' WILLIAM C. CLARK.

A WALTER UT'IING.

Witnesses-z H. E. CHASE, MILDRED M. N OTT. 

